Till the DCOS please step forward?
by BerCher
Summary: When you really listen to what people are saying somethimes the right thing to do is crystal clear.


Disclaimer: The characters depicted in this story belong to NBC, WB, Aaron Sorkin, and John Wells.

Will the DCOS please come forward?

It is important that everybody thinks you are fine. If people start to notice a difference in your behavior they try and interfere. He'd been down this road before, now with the benefit of hindsight he could see how obvious he had been.

This time however his two greatest allies were not paying the attention they once had, he knew he could do it and properly.

Forty seemed neat. Forty years between birth and death. Neat, tidy. The walk home and been calming, the first time in a while really, it wasn't just the events of this one day that had lead him to this decision. If he were being honest the thoughts were always just below the surface, if he looked in the corners of his mind they were always waiting, like the aliens in an episode of Star Trek. Josh always felt calmer when there was a plan and now he had one his mind was quiet.

Once he was home he changed and thought about what he might need. Grabbing the comforter off the bed thinking he could block any leaks with it. Donna's dislike of it passed through his mind. The garage was empty this late at night, he sat in the driver's seat and didn't think of the comforter again.

Two hours later he was still there, one hand on the wheel, one on the as yet unturned key. Suddenly it became vital to be away from here. The need to flee was overwhelming. Getting out of the car he unlocks the garage and opens the door, driving away he feels lighter with each passing mile. He imagines it must be like coming down a mountain and taking the first full breaths of oxygen rich air.

Donna and CJ had decided the best strategy would be for her to meet him and break the news that Leo had not called outside.

By 9.30am she had given up hope and tried his cell and home, both had gone directly to voice mail.

She called CJ, Sam and god help her Amy asking them to try on the chance he was screening her calls however none of their calls were answered. Returning to the office she found he had not arrived in her absence and decided to let the paranoia take her. The cab fare was an extravagance but the worry was starting to envelop her and the faster she could get to his place and see he was fine made the money worth spending. Bedsides she could tease him into reimbursing her.

Really he wasn't fine, but if she could get to him she was confident they could get him back on the right path.

He had seemed alright last night, strung out for sure but she had certainly seen him in worse shape.

Knocking on the door yielded no response trying the door knob and finding it open she called out for him and let herself in. The place looked the same as ever, mismatched and masculine. She had always found it odd how tidy his house was. Like he didn't want to annoy the cleaning lady by making a mess or perhaps he just wasn't ever home enough to work his home into the disaster area he could make his office.

His bag and coat were by the back of the sofa so she walked towards the bedroom expecting to find him asleep in an alcohol induced stupor. The bed was unmade so it was impossible to tell when he had last slept there. However the comforter was missing, she had always hated the cover and was slightly pleased to see it gone.

However still no sigh of Josh. Donna pulled her cell phone from her pocket and tried his number again and was surprised to hear it ring. Retracing her steps she found both his cell and pager in the pockets of his coat.

Josh never went anywhere with out them and Donna let the panic wash over her for a minute before mentally slapping herself and tried to think of her next step. Pushing herself up from the dinning chair she had sunk onto she headed to the basement garage. His car was gone.

Given the fact Leo had brought Angela in to work on the budget and most of Joshes Folio his absence had gone largely unnoticed. When the First Lady drew attention to the missing DCOS over yoghurt & PB & J in the residence kitchen Jed realized he had not seen Josh in days. When Jed entered the war room and asked about Josh blank faces greeted him. Three days later still nobody had heard from him.

By now Donna's excitement at being a player in the negotiations had been surpassed by her anxiety and she was finding it very hard to concentrate during the meetings, however being so pressed for time she had done little more than go his apartment each evening, he clearly had not been home.

Not wanting to draw attention to anything potentially embarrassing for Josh or the wrath of Leo she dithered about what to do. Donna decided to call Mike Casper he had been Joshes friend for years, surely he would be discreet in his enquiries.

Twenty-four hours later Mike called her back. Having called in a few favors Mike had found Josh's car had been left at Dulles four nights ago and he had boarded a flight to Singapore. Mike was heading down there to see what he could find out from Josh's car. As far as he could tell from Josh's credit card activity had stayed in Singapre for two days and taken another flight. Unfortunaly his authority ended there and they would have to wait until he used his cards again find out were Josh had gone.

Feedback would be fantastic, if you have any ideas on where is is please let me know. I have an outline but for ideas better than mine I will happily change!


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